Page 4 of Poison and Wine
Seamus’s eyes narrowed at Dare. “How quickly you forget my dearly departed wife was Bratva.”
“She was only half Russian.”
“She was still Bratva, and she made me an excellent wife.”
Dare’s expression softened. “Aye, Seamus, Elena was the best. My apologies.”
Kellan cleared his throat to change the subject and in turn ease the tension. “I didn’t think Alessio Neretti had any daughters?”
“Caterina is his only one.”
“What does she have to say about our upcoming nuptials?” I questioned.
Seamus exhaled a breath. “That’s where the unwilling part of the alliance comes in.”
“I sure as hell don’t like the sound of this.”
“Alessio Neretti would never dream of aligning with our family. His sons would, but he’s too much of a traditionalist to go outside his Sicilian brothers.” Seamus drew in a harsh breath. “But even if he did, Caterina has been unable to marry for the last two years.”
“Once again, I really don’t like the sound of this.” When Seamus remained uncharacteristically silent, I cocked my brows. “Don’t hold me in any more suspense. Why has my bride—the daughter of a high-ranking member of the Familigia who would have unlimited marriage proposals—remained unmarried?”
“Because she’s been in a convent.”
Holy motherfucking shit. While Quinn’s eyes bulged, laughter burst from Dare. I narrowed my eyes on Seamus. “How can you possibly marry me off to a nun? She’s married to God!” I snarled.
Amusement twinkled in Seamus’s blue eyes. “She’s only a novice.”
“She’s a nun.”
With a shake of his head, Seamus replied, “She hasn’t taken final vows yet, so she’s only a novice.”
“Does that really make a fucking difference?”
“For our blackened souls, it does. The last thing we need on our conscience is kidnapping a full-fledged nun.”
A grunt of disgust came from Kellan. “I would think kidnapping and forcing a woman into marriage is bad enough regardless of her religious status.”
Seamus chuckled darkly. “I’m aware I’m a fucking hypocrite to remain a practicing Catholic considering the line of work I’m in. But I do hold some things sacred. The fact that Caterina hasn’t fully given herself over to the church makes this a little more palatable.”
“It sure as hell isn’t palatable to me.” I threw back the remaining whiskey in my glass. “My future wife is a fucking nun!”
In the past year, I’d rarely entertained the thoughts of marriage. With all the chaos following my father’s murder, it had been pushed to the back burner. But whenever I did imagine it, it was always with an Irish virgin from one of our ally families. One who I had some form of common ground with.
There was absolutely nothing in me that could be compatible with an Italian nun. Her entire world revolved around her faith to where mine was often just an afterthought to keep my soul out of eternal damnation. As an Italian, she wouldn’t know any of my Irish history, the foods I loved, or the difference between good whiskey and absolute shite whiskey. She wouldn’t know the folklore or superstitions or the important holidays.
When my thoughts turned to my future bride’s appearance, disgust rolled through me. Images of the nuns at the Catholic schools I’d attended flickered through my mind. The thought of even trying to get my dick up for any of them was useless. “Do I get to see the lass you’ve brokered for me before the ceremony, or are you keeping her appearance hidden because of undesirability?”
Seamus reached into a coat pocket to retrieve several pictures. He slid them over to me. “I would say even a blind man would be able to get it up for a body like that.”
Curiosity got the better of me. Snatching up the pictures, I peered down at my future wife. With just one fleeting glance, I knew he was right. Hell, she could make a half-dead man rise to the occasion.
In the first picture, Caterina wore a tight black cocktail dress that fitted perfectly against her ample curves. Her long dark hair flowed in waves almost to her waist. The next picture showed her at the ocean where she wore a red bikini that showcased her fantastic tits. No one who saw the pictures would’ve believed the young woman in them would aspire to become a nun.
With a smirk, I replied, “I suppose I can muster the strength to fuck her now and then.”
Seamus snorted. “You’re lucky I’m not taking her for myself.”
“You’re a dirty old bastard considering she can’t be much more than eighteen.”